Improvement in steam-engines



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Improvement in Steam-Engines. n No. 132,414. Patented oct. 22,1872.

3Sheets--Sheet2. T. F. ROWLAND.

Improvement in Steam-Engines.- No. 132,414. Patented om. 22,1372.

El? ol 3Shets.-Sheet3.

T. F. RowLAND.

Improvement in Steam-Engines.

No. 132,414. Paten-red 0ct..22,1872.

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UNITED STATns PATENT Grrron.

THOMAS F. ROWLAND, OF GREEN POINT, (BROOKLYN,) NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT lN STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 132,414, dated October`22, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. ROWLAND, of Green Point, Brooklyn, in Kings county, in the State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Steam Vessels, applicable also to vessels driven by gas or analogous resulting from the use of such wheels which make them highly desirable, especially for certain classes of vessels; but there is a difficulty in properly connecting engines to such mechanism. This invention is intended to overcome those difficulties. I mount two level cylinders near each other, and with their axes parallel, to serve as the steam-cylinders, providing each with thc proper appurtenances for the admission and exhausting of the steam. The piston-rods, cross-heads, slides, Sto., are arranged inthe ordinary manner, leading backward toward the propeller-shaft, and the power is communicated through links to levers mounted nearer the sides of the ship. Each engine connects to the inner a'rm of a lever, and the outer arm is connected by a connecting-rod to a crank on the upright shaft. It results that the engines, although parallel and close together, work, in effect, at right angles, or nearly so, on the crank, and the power is transmitted veryadvantageously.

To operate the valves, I mount suitable eccentrics in the ordinary manner on a single horizontal shaft, which extends crosswise of the vessel or alittle forward of the upright main shaft, and is connected thereto by simple gearing, so that it revolves coincident therewith.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention. The accompanying drawing forms a part of this speciiication.

Figure l is a central longitudinal section through the after part of the vessel. It shows the propeller-wheel and some of its accessories with one of the levers and the connecting-rod from it to the crank. The section is taken through the condenser, which may be of any ordinary or suitable construction, and does not therein, as will be obvious.

show either of the cylinders. Fig. 2 is a plan view, showing the entire mechanism with certain pipes broken away. Each piston is represented as staudingat about half stroke. Fig. 3 is a cross-section. The left side from the center-line is a cross-section on the line S S in Fig. 2, and the right side is a section on the line T T in the vsame figure.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is the fixed work, including the hull of the ship, the engine-framing, condenser, &c. B is the main shaft, and B1 the crank forged The drawing represents some of the details of the Vmechanism, which controls the position of the feathering-paddles; but these form no part of my invention, and need not be specially described. -O1 G2 are steam-cylinders operating through cross-heads c1 c2 and connecting-links D1 D2 to give motion to the levers E1 E2.. The construction of these levers will be readily understood om the gures. There is a stout upright shaft which serves as a fulcrum or center of each, and the arm extending inward to receive the power from the corresponding engine is at a lower level than the arm extending outward to communicate the power to the crank. G1 G2 are the connecting-rods leading from suitable pins in the outer arms of the respective levers E1 E2 to a single crank, B', on the main shaft'B. Fig. 2 shows the angle at which these connections operate when the engines are at about half stroke. H is a counter-shaft or secondary shaft, which performs the important functions of operating the valves for the respective cylinders by means of eccentrics mounted thereon, as represented. Motion is communicated to this counter-shaftH by means of a connecting-shaft, I, which has a bevel-gear wheel at each end. The bevel-gear wheel il at the after end receives motion from the bevel-gear wheel b on the main shaft, and' the bevel-wheel 2 on the front end communicates the motion thus received tothe bevelgear wheel h on the shaft H. This mechanism operates either forwarder backward. I cut the gears so as to involve little back-lash or lost motion between the shafts B and H, or to make a proper allowance for the lost motion on backing, &c., in the mounting of the eccentries and their connections. I can useany kind of link motion or other desired cut-off.

This arrangement of mechanism maybeused with some advantagein communicating power to upright shafts in grist-mills or other stationary work. It is, however, more especially beneflcial on ship-board, where it is more important to keep the cylinders close together.

The construction of the levers El E2, and their arrangement relatively to the cylinders and crank, allows the cylinders to stand at a much lower level than the crank. It is desirable to keep the cylinders, and, in fact, as much as possible of the steam apparatus, below the water-line-in short, at as low a level as possible-while the form ofthe ship and the neces sity for the employment ci' some gearing below the crank and the upright shaft makes it desirable to mount the crank Bl at as high a level as possible. This is provided for by the levers El E2 being formed with stout upright shafts, with the inward arm at a low level to receive the power, and the arm which extends outward at a much higher level to deliver the power through the connecting-rod.

I claim as my inventionl. rEhe levers E1 E2 and connections G1 G2, D1 D2, arranged relatively to the upright shaft B Bl and the cylinders C1 CZ and .their adjuncts, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. In combination with the parallel cylinders G1 C2 and the mechanism connecting the same to the shaft B, I claim the shaft H, carryin g bevelgearin g and receiving motion from the main shaft B through the connecting-shaft I, as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of August, 1872, in the presence of twol subscribing witnesses.

THOS. F. ROWLAND.

Witnesses:

THOMAS D. STE'rsoN, WARREN E. HILL. 

